No Rest for the Wicked
by BatteryBlue
Summary: Bella's affinity for magic has put her life in danger and now she's on the run. It's back to quiet little Forks for her, to live with her dad and finish up high school in peace. But she didn't account for the family of vampires living there or their sudden interest in her.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The storyline is property of BatteryBlue.

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**No Rest for the Wicked**

**Chapter 1**

**BPOV**

I walk through the arrival gate, rucksack thrown over my shoulder. It takes me a minute to spot Charlie. He's a blend-into-the-scenery kind of guy, leaning against a far wall with his hands in his pockets. I wave as I walk over.

"Hey, Bells. Good to see you." He gives me a hug and a pat on the back. Never one of the overly emotional, but I appreciate his attempt. And I can't blame him for being a little confused. I called two days ago out of the blue to say I was coming to live with him for a while.

"Hi, Dad," I muster up the best smile I can give which, judging from his concerned look, isn't all that great.

The car ride to his house is awkwardly silent. I lean my forehead against the window and watch the world blur by.

"So," he finally says, "how's Mom?"

I let out a hollow laugh. I guess that's as good a way as any to ask what the hell I'm doing here.

"She's Mom. Hasn't changed a bit." I can't hide the acid in my tone.

"Did you two have a fight?"

A fight. If what we had was a fight, then what Hitler had was a party. "Yeah, something like that." I force myself to turn and look at him. "Don't worry about it, Dad. I just need some time away. Clear my head, focus on school. That sort of thing."

"You're not in trouble are you?" He glances at me.

"No. I'm not."

He relaxes a bit and guilt churns in my stomach. I used to be a terrible liar, so he probably believes me. But I've gotten better at it. I had to.

I feel bad about lying to him, but I can't tell him the truth. Not about Mom or anything. He wouldn't understand it, that's not his world. If I'm to protect him from it, he can't know anything. And anyway, he'd probably have me committed. Not the most open-minded guy, Charlie. I'm surprised Mom was able to hide it from him for so long.

When we get to the house, I open the door and feel a rush of relief. This place has good vibes. The house itself is peaceful, mostly undisturbed. I can only feel a trace hint of Mom's presence, left over from years past. Nothing bad, back then she was sane. And I'm sure not going to add my own impression here. This place will be my sanctuary, free from magic.

"You want something to eat?" Charlie asks, peering in the fridge, "I can heat up some leftovers quick."

I shrug, "I had something on the plane." I didn't, but my appetite had all but disappeared in the last few days. "I think I'm just going to head to bed. Get a good night of sleep before school."

Charlie nods. "Sure, sure. I called the school today, told them you were coming. Hopefully you'll be all set tomorrow, even with the short notice."

I put my rucksack on the stairs and walk back into the kitchen. I lean against the wall and say, "I'm sorry about springing this on you. I just needed to get away. I hope my being here isn't too much trouble."

Charlie smiles, his mustache twitching. "Hey, kiddo, I'm always happy to have you, for as long as you need. I miss you when you're so far away."

I smile for real and move in to hug him. This time we're both a little less awkward. And it feels good to hug my dad. To have a parent who really cares.

"Thanks, Charlie," I mumble into his shoulder.

"Any time."

We brake apart and I pick up my bag and head up the stairs. "Night."

"Goodnight, Bells."

My little room is the same as the last time I was here two years ago. So much has changed for me since then, my whole world has been rocked sideways and bashed around. I breathe deeply and soak in the innocent feeling of the space. Sanctuary.

I throw my bag on the desk chair and flop down onto the bed. I feel like I haven't rested in a lifetime. I let the tension seep out of my limbs and sigh into sleep.

My first day of school arrives with heavy rain. I get up early to cook Charlie breakfast before work. There was a time when first days would make me nervous; new place, new people. But I'm really looking forward to the anonymity of Forks High. No one knows me, I can leave it all behind. Hello, high school mediocrity, it's been too long.

Charlie borrowed a truck from a friend so I could get to school without his cruiser. I crack the window on the way, relaxing in the melodic vibes of the green forests around me. I can already tell this place is just what I need. Everything's in balance here, harmonious and peaceful. I feel like singing.

I pull into the parking lot and shrug my hood up before bracing the rain. Other kids hurry from their cars into the school. No one stops to notice me. I feel free.

I find my way to the front office. A heavyset woman sitting at the front desk greets me as I enter.

"Hi, I'm Bella Swan. I think my dad called about me yesterday?"

The woman blinks and then lights up. "Isabella Swan! Of course, Chief Swan told me all about you." Knowing Charlie, that probably just meant my name and age. "Breezed right into town, didn't you, dear?"

I smile but don't answer. She rifles through a stack of papers, throwing me curious looks as she searches.

"Here we are, a schedule and map of the school. Do you need any help getting to your first class?"

"I'm sure I can manage, thank you."

"Alright, dear. You let me know if there's anything else you need, okay?"

I smile and turn to leave, her gaze following me out the door.

School passes slowly, but I have no complaints. Except maybe the been-there-done-that reading list for English. But I meet a really nice girl named Angela who sits next to me, so I'm pretty happy. She invites me to eat lunch with her and her friends, which I accept. No need to keep hidden here with these normal folks. I might even make some friends.

I pull my black hoodie around me as we leave for lunch. Angela asks me about Phoenix and my life there. I tell her what I can without lying through my teeth. Her friend Mike walks with us and he seems nice too, if a bit over eager. I smile, a real smile, when they complain about how uninteresting Forks is. If only they knew that was the best part about coming here.

The cafeteria looks like the one at my old school, except smaller and a little dingier. I get myself lunch and sit down, listening to conversations about school sports and upcoming dances. Everyone is polite to me, for the most part. A few of the girls eye me with distaste and one named Lauren is particularly unfriendly.

"So," she starts in an obnoxiously girly voice, "why did you just show up here? Did you get kicked out of your old school?"

"Lauren!" A curly haired girl named Jessica smacks her on the arm, but I can tell she's equally interested in my answer.

"What? It was a joke." Lauren rolls her eyes like that was obvious, but turns to me for an answer.

"I came to spend time with my dad," I answer, fixing her with my own look. If this girl thinks she can intimidate me, she better think again. I've gone up against much worse than the likes of her. My mother included.

Lauren sighs like my answer is subpar, but doesn't reply. I go back to eating my sandwich in peace, listening to Angela as she talks.

I could get used to this.

**EPOV**

Emmett pulls out the chair across from me and plunks down with his tray. I roll my eyes at the pile of food he has. He shrugs.

_Got to keep up appearances. I'm a big guy, we eat a lot._

Yeah, yeah. Rose and Alice are discussing their dresses for the upcoming dance and I suppress a groan. There is _no_ need for us to be attending a dance, but the girls insist. Alice rubs her temple unconsciously. She has been feeling off about her visions for a few days, having a hard time grabbing onto certain events. She's more worried than she's let on.

Jasper sits down next to her and jerks his head in the opposite direction.

_New girl, just got here yesterday. They're all flipping out about her._

I smirk and shake my head. Jasper and I fit in the least with these children and their easily excitable natures. One new student can rock the boat of their entire semester. I glance over and see an addition to Mike Newton's table. A small girl sits with her back to me, slouched in her seat, brown hair falling halfway down her back. I see her face through Newton's eyes, and see he's already besotted. She's pretty enough, but I want to gag on his visions of the two of them tangled together at the dance.

"Newton found himself a victim to be his date for the dance," I say quietly.

Emmett grins evilly. He is much too interested in peer drama. _Will she accept?_

I reach for her mind to answer, but find myself...stopped. Where there should be a mind is a blank wall, no thoughts. I stare at the girl, confused and alarmed. This has never happened before. Is there something wrong with her? With me? I reach out and touch the other minds in this room, each as open and dull as usual. But not hers. I push, trying to see beyond. Nothing.

Abruptly, the girl flinches out of her relaxed slouch, her spine stick-straight and her shoulders hunched up. I try to see through to her mind, but can't get a grasp.

Slowly, she turns in her seat, all the way around until she is looking at our table. At us. At me. She stares, her eyes going wide and the flush of pink draining from her face and leaving it chalky white. She inhales sharply, her eyes darting from myself to my family. With a low muttered, "_Fuck!_" she jumps up from the table and hurries out of the cafeteria, ignoring Angela Weber's call after her.

As the doors swing behind her exit, I turn to my family. They're looking back at me, each with the same bewildered expression I must have on.

Finally, Rosalie leans in and hisses, "What the hell was _that_?"

Before I can answer, Alice gasps and puts a hand to her mouth. Jaspers hands are instantly on her, concern etched on his face.

"Alice, what's wrong?"

She shakes her head. Her mind is flying through image after image, each twisted and blurred, unrecognizable. "I can't _see_ anything. My visions… are gone."

"What?" Emmett barks, too loudly, and then lowers his voice, "What are you talking about?"

"They're all mangled, I can't make anything out. This has never happened before." She looks to me, worry written all over her face.

_What's happening?_ she asks.

I shake my head. "I don't know," I say, turning to watch the door the girl disappeared behind.

**BPOV**

I hurry down hallway after hallway until I can find an escape. The gym doors slam open as I hurry outside. I pace around, jumpy and unsure. My thoughts are scattered, bouncing off each other and colliding in a panicky sort of way. The only thought that keeps sticking in place is _Fuck me, why here?!_

Vampires. Goddamned mother-effing vampires. In Forks! I throw my hands up and growl in frustration.

"Was it too much to ask for a little break from all of that crap?" I say to no one in particular. If there is a God, he is laughing at me right now.

I lean against the brick wall and try to breath. Everything had been going great. Normal people, normal school, a place where I could get away from all of the darkness. Listening to Angela's stories about her little brothers and enjoying a nice PB and J.

Until I felt the very deliberate tap on my mind. Years of training, not to mention having to defend against my own mother, keep my mental defenses up out of habit. I never thought I would need them here. But that sharp tap was a not-so-subtle hint that, apparently, I can't run from my past.

Here I am sitting in a high school cafeteria in the middle of Nowhere, USA and then I turn around to find a table of five vampires. Five!

Memories that I've been trying to keep at bay for days flood my mind in panic. I've only ever met vampires who work for _them_. Did these ones follow me here? Did they come to drag me back to Arizona, back to Mom and… _them_? Or is it a coincidence?

I snort. That is one bullshit coincidence, if I've ever seen one. Because vampires regularly attend high school and eat in cafeterias.

I put my hands to my forehead. I'm fucked.

The bell rings from inside and I jump. I debate whether or not to run, then decide it's not worth it. If they're here for me, then running obviously hasn't worked so far. And if not, then I might as well get to class. I'll avoid them as long as humanly possible.

The worst part is that I can't escape from magic if there are vampires around. I have to be careful, which means riding that oh-so-fine line between cloaking myself with protection and tipping them off to what I am. _Damn those vampires._ My plan to swear off magic has been officially shot to hell.

I close my eyes and concentrate, controlling my breathing. Slowly, a light barrier forms around my skin, just enough to hide my scent. I've been told before that I smell delicious, and that's not a compliment from a vampire. It's a threat. Better not to give these ones any excuses to kill me.

I pull my schedule from my back pocket. Biology.

Okay, here we go.

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**Hi, all. This is a new story I've been cooking up. Let me know how you feel about it so far and I'll post some more soon.**

**Lots of love,**

**Evie**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**BPOV**

I find the classroom and slip in just after the late bell.

"Sorry," I say to the teacher, "I got a bit lost."

"That's fine. Miss Swan, is it? Take the last seat right over there." He gestures to the back and I turn to go before lurching to a stop.

The open seat is at a bench next to a very pale and beautiful boy. Super. So far, the avoidance plan is going great. I scan the room quickly but sure enough, that is the very last seat.

"Is there a problem, Miss Swan?" the teacher asks.

"Um, no. No problem."

I grip my bag tighter and slink to the back, pulling out the empty seat and ignoring everyone's stares. The teacher calls the class to order and I'm left with a single gaze from the seat next to me.

I instinctively flex my barrier, which is still in tact.

"Hello," he says in a low and sexy voice. Typical.

"Hi," I mumble back without looking.

"My name is Edward." I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. He is easily the most beautiful man I have ever seen, and that's including other vampires. A vampire's beauty is their greatest weapon because it makes you forget the danger you're dealing with. His eyes are deep and dark, never a good sign.

I nod but don't offer my own name. I try to relax and act naturally but I am so aware of his presence.

I feel another tap at my mind and tense. So this is the one with the power. I'm not sure which power he has precisely but I certainly don't want to find out. I fight the urge to ram that tap back at him. That would be a dead giveaway.

He doesn't speak again and I sit awkwardly for the rest of class, failing to look unaffected. When the bell rings, I jump out of my seat like my butt is on fire and hurry from the class. The sooner I can get out of here and think, the better.

**EPOV**

I watch her run from the room, utterly baffled. The girl is a complete mystery, inside and out. At the start of class, she had walked in a few minutes late, speaking softly to Mr. Banner. I watched her movement, graceful for a human. Her dark hair fans out over her shoulders as she walks. When she saw me, she stopped short and her shoulders rose as though she was preparing for an attack. I could see in the darting glances of her eyes that she was searching for another place to sit, away from me.

Humans have an innate aversion to my kind, but I've rarely encountered such an overt reaction to my presence. She looked frightened. I tried to make myself look as unthreatening as possible, smiling with my mouth closed. But she never looked over as she dropped into her seat and pulled on her sweatshirt.

I haven't told my siblings that I can't read her mind. They were each sufficiently distracted by Alice's sudden loss of visions. I'm not sure why I held my tongue exactly, except that I want to figure her out for myself before I let the others know. Rosalie and Jasper, in particular, are apt to jump to conclusions and see threats where they aren't present. I had decided to work my way into the girl's mind before I put the family on alert.

So I spent the last forty minutes trying to reach her mind, but met only silence. It's like trying to grasp hold of something only to have it slip through your fingers each time. Blank and unreachable.

I tried to engage the girl verbally, but she had resisted, refusing to look my way or offer a name, which of course I already knew. Bella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter, moved here on short notice from Arizona. I'd heard the information a hundred times today in students' minds. They were all curious about her, yet no one knew the details of why she had left, which made her all the more interesting to the teenage population. Mike Newton hadn't stopped looking over here the whole class. Trying to get the Swan girl's attention.

She kept her eyes on the table and her shoulders hunched. I was so focused on breaking into her mind that I almost missed the other jarring absence. But when she swept her hair over her shoulder to create a curtain between us, I was stunned to realize what else was missing.

Her scent.

I inhaled deeply, pulling in the scents of the room. Each student, the wood grained benches, the formaldehyde frogs in the back refrigerator, traces of chemicals from past experiments.

But not Bella Swan. I sat back in my seat, at a complete loss. Did this girl not really exist, was she a figment of my imagination? I would almost think so if it weren't for everyone else's interest in the girl.

I kept my eyes on her, trying to work out the secrets within her frail little body. When the bell rang, she jumped from her seat and hurried out of class without a back wards glance.

Now, I wait for the other students to file out, trying to gather my thoughts into a conclusion, but nothing comes to me. Finally, I get up and walk to my last class.

Ignoring Varner's lecture on derivatives, I watch Bella Swan through the eyes of her classmates, as she speaks to the gym coach and sits on the bleachers to watch the volleyball game. Her hood is back up.

Mike Newton keeps an eye on her the entire class, watching to see if she noticed his 'superior' spiking skills. I bark out a laugh, earning a glare from Varner. I return it with my own look until he gets nervous and returns to the lecture.

Newton is an idiot.

When the last bell rings, I take my time, watching the gym class break up and Bella slip away. When I can no longer watch her, I go to join my family in the parking lot.

I see them waiting at the car. Rosalie leans against the door looking bored. The boys are focused on Alice. Her visions are still blurred and unreadable. She is trying to sort through them with no success, becoming more frustrated by the minute. I keep a human pace as I walk down the hill, scanning the parked cars for something new.

It doesn't take long, as an antique of a truck roars to life in the back row. Bella Swan pulls it from the space and inches out of the parking lot, looking comically small at the wheel of that behemoth machine. I watch as the truck leaves my sight, listening to the rumbling engine for several miles.

"What took you so long?" Rosalie snaps, crossing her arms as I approach. I unlock the doors instead of answering and we all get in. The ride home is quiet, each of us lost in thought. Alice is trying to force her visions and developing an almost headache from the effort.

"Give it a rest, Alice. You're not doing yourself any good," I say.

Alice glares at me, ready to take out her frustration on the first willing victim. "You try going blind. It's not a picnic to suddenly lose your power when you've always been able to rely on it."

I keep my face neutral, but really, I happen know the feeling quite well. It's unsettling to say the least. But I don't respond. Alice's visions are enough to deal with for the time being.

I will figure out Bella Swan myself.

**BPOV**

The house is silent as I enter. Charlie won't be home for a few hours, giving me enough time to pull myself together. I decide to start dinner just to keep busy. Charlie's fridge is pitifully stocked, mainly old takeout containers and some questionable orange juice. I get back in my truck and find a corner store—not hard in Forks, there's about four corners.

By the time I get back, pull together the indigents, and set a lasagna in the oven, I've been able to push today's encounter to the back of my mind. I've always been good at compartmentalizing, detaching from bad memories. It's helped especially in recent months.

Charlie walks in at seven and pokes his head into the kitchen. "Something smells good in here." He eyes the oven hopefully.

"Lasagna."

He smiles wide under his mustache, moving to the table.

"It's not ready yet," I tell him, "Go put your stuff down and I'll set the table." He grumbles but goes to remove his gun holster and boots.

We eat in silence for the most part, Charlie humming his praises between bites. I push my own meal around, before an idea occurs to me. Maybe I _can_ get some information.

"Charlie," I begin, staring at my plate and trying to sound casual, "do you know a group of five kids that go to my school who are…um, pale and really pretty? One of them is named Edward."

Charlie nods, still chewing.

I perk up and lean forward. "Well?"

He swallows and says, "Cullens. Those are the Cullens' kids. I think one of the boys is Edmund or Edward. Three boys and two girls, right?"

I nod quickly. "So they're a family, then? And there are _more_ of them? How long have they been here?"

Charlie is less distracted by his food now and looks at me. "Why the interest, Bells?"

My cheeks color and try to rein it in. "Edward is my lab partner, and I saw them all together at lunch. I was just curious."

He takes another bite. "They are, um, rather pretty, as you put it. Seem to be good kids, too. I never get any trouble from them. And Dr. Cullen is well respected at the hospital."

My jaw drops open. "One of them is a _doctor_? Of people?"

Charlie chuckles. "Well, he's not a vet."

I try to imagine a vampire doctor, and nothing pretty comes to mind. Too many blood bags and 'dying' patients. I push past that bizarre detail and focus on the important one. "So they've been here for a while, then."

Charlie nods. "Couple of years." He takes another big bite.

I sit back in my chair, feeling my insides uncoil with relief. They've been here for years, which means they haven't come to collect me.

The relief is short lived as a slew of other concerns sink into its place. There is a large coven of vampires living in my town. Living as in staying. That isn't usually the way vampires function, as far as I know. If they've set up roots here, they'd have spread their hunting around to keep it quiet. One is a doctor, so they must have their teeth in the community somehow.

I watch Charlie finish up his dinner. All this time, I'd been thinking I was the one skirting danger, but Charlie has been sitting here in tiny Forks with vampires. My gut tightens with the guilt of not keeping a closer eye on him. The past few years had become so dark, I thought it better to leave him be.

He groans and leans back in his seat, rubbing his belly. "That was wonderful, Bells. I could get used to coming home to a meal like that."

I force a smile. "You could do with some proper meals. Leftover Chinese is not a food group, you know."

He grumbles a defense and I roll my eyes.

"I'm going to get some homework done before bed," I say, standing.

Charlie nods. "I'll get the dishes, you go on ahead."

"Thanks, Dad."

He grunts but I can tell he likes that I called him dad. I remind myself to do it more often. As I walk up the first few stairs, Charlie calls after me.

"Don't forget to call your mom soon, let her know you've settled in."

I flinch, my hand gripping the banister. "Of course," I lie, "Goodnight."

I shut the door to my room and sink down on the bed, turning out the light. Moonlight slips through the curtain, offering a sliver of peace to my troubled mind. I lied about the homework, but I do have some puzzles to work out.

The Cullens. A 'family' of vampires. I do _not _like the sound of that. They live here, so they didn't follow me here, but I can't let that drop my guard.

The Cullens could still be connected to _them_. I don't know how far their network goes beyond Phoenix. If _they_ got wind of where I ran to…

I shudder, pushing that thought away. They won't find me. I made sure of that. If they go to Mom, looking for me… Well, I made sure Mom wouldn't remember either.

I roll over onto my side and wrap my arms around myself. My fingers instinctively reach up under my shirt and trace the jagged cut along my side, not yet a scar. Remnants of my last encounter with my dear mother.

Guilt mixes a queasy cocktail in my stomach. I had to do it. It was the only way to escape her and _them_. I can't go back to that life.

I won't.

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_Bella sat in the garden, getting dirt on her new jumper. Today had been her first day of Kindergarden and Mommy had dressed her up real pretty. When they got home from school, Mommy had gone to lie on the couch and told Bella not to bother her, so Bella decided to play with the flowers instead. She put her face up real close to the big pink buds, her favorites, and watched ants crawl over the tightly closed petals._

_She watched as an ant crawled back and forth over the bud. She thought he might want to get inside the flower, but it was too closed up for him to try. Bella felt bad for him. She touched her finger to the pink bud and gently stroked it. She said hello to the flower in her mind and felt the flower say hello back, as they sometimes did._

_The bud slowly grew under her touch, each petal curling back and opening wide until she was looking at a pretty pink flower in full bloom. The ant crawled between the petals and disappeared inside. Bella smiled at him, happy to have helped._

_She heard a sharp gasp from behind and Mommy's voice shouting, "Bella!" _

_Bella turned around to see Mommy standing close by, watching. Bella got nervous that she was in trouble for her dirty jumper. But Mommy didn't look mad. She was looking at the flower with a big, big smile._

_"Oh, Bella!" she shouted again, but really excited this time. "How did you do that?"_

_Bella tried to think of what to say, but her young mind couldn't come up with the words to describe the connection. "I talked to the flower. To help the ant." She was still worried she was in trouble for something._

_But Mommy scooped her up from the ground and swung her around, laughing in a happy way Bella had never heard before._

_"Oh, my darling girl! How special you are. This changes _everything_." _

_Bella didn't know what that meant, but Mommy had never looked at her like that before, with bright eyes and a really big smile. So she couldn't help but be happy._

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**Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed the first chapter, I hope you keep with me.**

**Lots of love,**

**Evie**


	3. Chapter 3

****Important: I reworked the outline a bit, and chapter 2 had to be updated. Please go back and give it a quick read so you don't miss anything!**

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**Chapter 3**

**BPOV**

The next morning when I pull into the school parking lot, I'm already exhausted. My night was plagued with memories that I've been putting off in the daylight. I don't know how many times I woke gasping, blinking away my nightmares. Always the same, two sets of inky purple eyes watching me.

Today day is draining me and it hasn't even begun. I slap my cheeks to wake myself up and push open my door. There are a few students milling about, chatting by their cars. Mike Newton jogs over as soon as I slide out of my truck.

"Hi, Bella. How's it going? Liking Forks so far?" he asks. I want to roll my eyes. _Oh, just the usual, Mike. A couple of vampires and some algebra homework._ I have no answer for him except a smile. He grins back, obviously pleased, and offers to walk me to my first class. I can't think of any reason to say no. He chats about school and upcoming events, but I can't concentrate.

My steps stutter when I feel a tap on my mind. I glance around and spot a lone figure leaning against a silver Volvo. Arms crossed and wearing sunglasses, Edward Cullen looks like a smoldering James Dean. A blush burns my cheeks and my heart picks up automatically. I curse myself, knowing he can hear it. My eyes fall back to the damp pavement, but I can feel his stare burning into my back. Another tap to my mind has me instinctively reaching my hand to my forehead before I force it back down to my side.

"Bella?"

I glance up at Mike and he's looking at me expectantly.

Shit. "I'm sorry?"

"I asked if you wanted to come." I don't say anything and he keeps talking, becoming less sure of himself as he speaks. "To La Push… the beach we're going to this weekend?"

"Oh, right!" I lie, having missed this entire conversation. "_That_ beach. Um, maybe… I'll have to check with Ch- my dad."

Mike grins. "Great! We usually camp out that night, make a bonfire. Should be a lot of fun." His voice gets deeper on the last part and it takes me a full minute to realize he's trying to flirt with me.

"Right…" The bell rings, saving me from having to give a proper response. Instead I smile and hurry into my class.

"I'll save you a seat at lunch," Mike calls after me. I wave once without turning back around.

Throughout the day, I keep half a mind on my classes while casually keeping an eye out for the Cullens. I don't see any sign of them until third period when I pass the little one in the hall. I glance at her from the corner of my eye, but she doesn't look at me. Her head is down, short dark hair falling around her face. Her lips are pulled into a scowl and she's rubbing her temples. I don't see any of them again until lunch.

Angela and I walk to the lunch line, talking about the upcoming English paper.

Angela shakes her head. "Mr. Berty ripped my last paper apart, I'm not looking forward to this one."

"Let me take a look at your paper and I'll help you through it," I offer.

She looks up, smiling. "Really? You wouldn't mind?"

I wave her off. "'Course not. English is my strong suit. You should see what I can do with a Shakespeare passage," I joke, "Pre-calc, on the other hand, is a struggle."

She nods sympathetically. "Varner is tough."

We grab our trays of food and head back to the table. I deliberately keep my eyes away from the Cullen table. I'm so focused on this, that the tap on my mind from the opposite direction completely throws me. I flinch and can't stop myself from looking over. Edward Cullen is standing by the cafeteria doors, watching me. His eyes narrow and the look on his face is calculating. He caulks his head to the side and I feel another very deliberate tap. I force my rigid shoulders to stay still and tighten the walls around my mind. I know that look. I've seen it on too many faces recently. He's playing with me.

With a concentrated effort, I relax my stance and focus back on Angela as we sit down. Lunch moves slowly and I'm hyper aware of the table of vampires behind me. There are no more grazes on my mind, but I keep my guard up regardless. I'm so distracted, that I have a hard time following the conversation and I think I agree to the beach trip without realizing it.

"Oh good!" Jessica squeals, "We need more girls there or the guys break out the guitars and start _jamming_". She puts air quotes around the word and rolls her eyes. "They're not very good," she whispers loudly.

"Hey, I'm a great guitar player," Mike says, jabbing his chest and causing Eric to snort. They go back and forth defending their musical skills.

Angela squeezes my arm and gives me a little smile. "I'm glad you're coming, I'll have someone to talk to when they start drinking."

I smile back, feeling a kinship with the girl. It's clear that Angela doesn't really fit in with this oh-so high school lot. She's such a nice girl and I can see the possibility of true friendship in her. Easy and uncomplicated.

"Of course," I say. A little beach trip wouldn't kill me and I would really like a real friend.

Lunch ends and I make my way to Biology.

He's already there when I walk in. I keep my head down shuffle to my seat.

We don't speak as the class settles in. I almost expect him to, but Edward doesn't say a word. When I peek over at him, he's leaning back in his chair, eyes on the front of the class, with a small smile on his face. It's strange. He looks like he's waiting patiently for something. I put my head back down, doodling on my notebook and counting the seconds.

Mr. Banner gets up from his seat and walks to the closet, pulling out a rolling cart of microscopes.

"We're going to start with the onion root lab today. You'll work in teams of two with your lab partner."

At his words, Edward sits up and turns to me, his smile widening. I fight back a groan.

"Hello, partner," he says in a smooth and somewhat smug voice. I turn to face him with a scowl, but my jaw drops instead.

Gold.

His eyes are gold. Buttery gold. I feel like the classroom is turning sideways. Where is the red? Did I get this entirely wrong? Is he not really a vampire?

I clutch the table with my fingers and take a deep breath, trying to orient myself. My eyes run over him, and there is no denying what I see. From the luminous pale skin and ethereal good looks to the dangerous undertones, Edward Cullen is most definitely a vampire.

Then what the fuck is wrong with his eyes?

I have to bite my lip to keep from blurting those words out. They're on the tip of my tongue. Edward watches me struggle, his brows furrowed in confusion. The now familiar tap on my mind pulls me out of the moment and reminds me why I can't ask. Too dangerous.

Mr. Banner places a microscope on our table with a worksheet. Edward raises his eyebrows with a polite expression.

"Ladies first?"

I grumble and pull the microscope to me, glancing at the slide and adjusting it before writing down the answer.

"May I?"

I stop writing and glance at him through my hair. "I guess," I say, pushing the microscope over to him. It makes a horrible screeching noise across the desk. He looks at the slide for a brief moment, before glancing at my answer and nodding. I can't help the indignant huff that escapes me. Damn straight, it's the right answer.

We continue on for a few slides in silence, me writing the answer and Edward checking the slide. After a while, he stops reading over my work. We fall into a routine, moving along quickly.

"Done this lab before?" he asks, replacing the slide with another one.

I shrug and pull the microscope back. "I took biology last year," I say.

"I see. Liking Forks so far?" he asks.

I peer sideways at him and see a tiny smirk on his face. It's the same question Mike asked me this morning, but instead of giving the same non-answer, I blurt out, "Not really."

His smile grows a half an inch and I can't help my heart pounding. Damn vampires. "May I ask why?" he says in that silky voice.

I try to give him a hard look. "Too crowded."

He laughs, the clear sound making my breath catch. "_Forks_ is crowded? That must have been some barren wasteland you grew up in."

"Yeah, well, I don't like to be bothered." I say the last part with emphasis.

He nods, still with that smile on his face. "Point taken."

He shifts the microscope back over to me as I reach for the slide. My fingers brush the back of his hand and I gasp, my body going rigid with shock.

It's not the cold, I expected that.

When we touch, a zing of electric energy vibrates through me unlike anything I've ever felt. It's more than just a normal impression of someone. It curls inside me like an embrace, leaving me wired and exposed. I'm so shocked, I jerk my hand back and cover it with my other one.

I look up and meet Edward's wide eyes as he stares down at me. He's stone still. He glances from his hand to mine and back up to my eyes. I can't look away.

Slowly, almost lazily, his wide eyes narrow and he cocks his head to the side, never breaking our stare. He leans in closer to me and my heart seizes in my chest. Our faces are barely a foot away when his lips part and he speaks in a soft voice.

"What _are_ you?"

I feel the blood drain from my face. My hands are shaking and I still can't look away. His bright eyes are boring into me.

The bell rings overhead and I jump a foot in my seat. I feel like I'm on the verge of a panic attack, but the noise releases me from his locked gaze. I grab my notebook and my bag and hurry out of the room. I trip in the doorway but keep running, my heart beating a mile a minute.

* * *

**Can't run forever, Bella.**

**I'm sorry for the delay in updates so soon into the story. My excuse is twofold- I decided to rework the outline a bit (hence the maintenance on chapter 2) and I'm graduating from college this week, so this past month got a bit crazy.**

**I meant for this chapter to be longer, but I thought you'd appreciate something sooner than later. I'm working through chapter 4 and 5 now, those will be up soon.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and reviewing, I love to hear from you!**

**Let me know what you think so far and I'd love to hear your guesses on what's coming up.**

**Lots of love,**

**Evie**


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